Our joint contribution to sustainable development
“A dream you dream alone is just a dream. A dream you have together is a reality”. – JST partners can convince themselves of the truth of these words by artist and peace activist Yoko Ono on a virtual trip to Madagascar. Together with its customers, the JST team would like to plant a company forest on the fourth largest island in the world and, in this way, come a decisive step closer to a major goal: With socio-ecological tree plantations, we want to make our contribution to the green revolution that the blue planet so urgently needs.
Saplings waiting for new owners in the nursery
The idea is as simple as it is effective. Every customer who purchases one of the high-quality Stratos X11 control room consoles from Jungmann automatically becomes a sponsor of a tree in Madagascar. JST has already acquired 200 “little trees” for this purpose. The tender sprouts are still well protected in the early stages in a nursery. Later, they are planted and cared for by local smallholders. In this way, a corporate forest is created step by step.
Live with geotagging and interactive world map
How exactly does it work? The tree sponsor receives an individual code which they can enter on the website of our project partner Treedom. In this way, they are led directly to “their” tree, so to speak. Each individual tree can be traced on an interactive map of the world by geotagging, and you can finally watch your own tree grow via photographs. If you like, you can also give your own name to your little tree.
Real benefit for people and nature in Madagascar
As we move toward sustainability, both forest and fruit tree species will be found in the JST agroforestry. These not only absorb CO2 from the atmosphere, they also secure the habitat for rare animal species.
Together, we are helping to promote biodiversity and species diversity in Madagascar. Additionally, we support the local people with this action. They take care of the trees and also benefit from the harvest periods.
This creates new career prospects and alternative income opportunities.
Previously uncultivated land, today a living forest
Last but not least, soil erosion and desertification are actively combated. “Seeing a forest grow in the place where there was previously uncultivated land is perhaps one of the greatest satisfactions I have experienced in my life,” says Nicola Gando, project manager in Madagascar, summing up the wonderful benefits of the initiative.
Sustainability as a "real affair of the heart"
The impetus behind the idea of a JST corporate forest is consultant Dirk Lüders, who would like to bring the topic of “sustainability” into focus with this initiative.
“We only have one world. And we borrowed it from our children,” says the father of a little son and daughter. For Dirk Lüders, one thing is certain: “We use nature’s raw materials. Therefore, it is a real matter of the heart for me to give something back to nature.” He is supported in this by his colleagues.
Every new Stratos console in a European control room is now celebrated by the JST crew in thought of a new tree on Madagascar, so to speak. “We are committed to reducing our ecological footprint together,” says Dirk Lüders, “and we do so out of deep conviction.”
Success through the fusion of digital and real worlds
More than 1.7 million trees have already been planted in the global South since Treedom was founded in 2010. People from all over the world plant a tree remotely and follow its story online.
Merging the real and digital worlds under the hashtag #Let’sGreenThePlanet has helped nearly 100,000 small farmers in a total of 17 countries so far.
CO2 storage and reforestation, promotion of biodiversity, and combating soil erosion are among the Treedom goals, as are direct financing of small farmers and agricultural cooperatives, and new job prospects and alternative income opportunities for the local population.
Thanks to this innovative social business model, Treedom has been one of the “Certified B Corporations” since 2014, a network of companies that stand out for their high environmental and social performance.
